Picnic and utility table



Sept. 19, '1950 E. A. BOWER 2,522,774

PICNIC AND UTILITY TABLE Filed Dec. 27, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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ATTORNEYS Sept. 19, 1950 E. A. BOWER 2,522,774

PICNIC AND UTILITY TABLE Filed Dec. 27, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w ERNEST AwAH Bowen ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 19, 1950 PICNIC AND UTILITY TABLE Ernest Alvali Bower, St. JosephQMich. ApplicationDecember 27, 1 948,, SerialNoJ6m314 This invention relates to a novel, practical, economical and especially useful picnic and utilitytable, made up of separable parts which are very quickly and readily connected together to provide a table when wanted, and are as easily separated anddisassembled, the part which provides the top of. the table being foldable into a sa sa-within which the other parts of the table are enclosed and carried. Thus when not in use, thetablein its knocked. down and disassembled conditionbccupies little. space and is as readily,

handled like a suitcase, and may be carried as such in a trunk of an automobile or otherwise for readiness for use whenever wanted. 7

It is an object and purpose of the present invention. toprovide a tablestructure. of the type described. which is sturdy, almost instantly assembled or disassembled without theuse of tools, and whichwhen connected together in its assembled form provides a table which may be used at picnics, for example, and also in many other ways, and which is produced and marketed at low cost.

An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description, taken in connection ,with the accompanying drawings, in which 1 Fig. l is, a plan view of the assembled table when it is setup for use.

:Eigl 2 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view showing the method of 'attachment of the supporting legs to extend downwardly from one side of parallel horizontal end bars, and also the manner of support of the table top, the supporting means of which detachably connected to said end bars and extends upwardly therefrom.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the assembled table.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the several elements or parts of the table separated from each other, and located generally in the relative positions which they have when in assembled relation, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the table structure disassembled and in a suitcase form for carrying.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings.

In a table structure as disclosed in the drawing, four legs I of flat Wood material, preferably, are provided. All are of the same height and each at its upper end is vertically slotted midway between its side edges downwardly for a distance, with one of the parts which will be at the outer side of each slot in the assembled table extending upwardly a distance farther than the other part as indicated at 3.

tgci ims. (01. 155-4 24) 2 Such vertical legs are designed for detestable connection close tothe ends-of two spaced apart horizontal end bars 4. Each of the end bars at its outer side, and near each end, has a vertical groove 5 cut therein whereby the legs I are an tached to the bars 4 at said grooves by inserting;

the bars, 4 downwardly in the slots 2, which are of a Width substantially the same as the thickness of the bars 4 at the bottoms of the grooves 5,.- In such an attachment the longer upwardly projecting parts 3 extend a short distance above the upper edges of the bars 4, while the shorter parts at the opposite sides of the slots -2 are substantially flush with the upper edges of the bars 4. Each of said bars4 at its inner side has two similarvertical grooves 6 cut therein, spaced inwardly from the outer grooves 5 -substantially equal distances,

After the bars,4 have had the-legs I connected thereto horizontal seat boards I areput inplace. Therevare two of; such boards and each near each end, midway between itsaside edges, has a rectangular opening 8 therethrough of the proper dimensions to receive the projecting upper ends of the parts 3*of the legs.- This spaces the end,

bars 4 from each other and holds them :inspaced relation with the legs l bars 4 andseat boards 1 securelybut releasably held, in place.

The bars 4 "serve to support. upwardly extend ing vertical legs 9, four. in number, each of which at its lower end is vertically slotted as at I0, for connection with the bars 4 at the grooves 6, the lower ends of the vertical legs 9 preferably being substantially flush with the lower edges of the end bars 4, When connected in place the supports 9 interlocked with said end bars 4 are vertically located and substantially rigid.

Upon the upper ends of the vertical legs 9 the top of the table is placed. It includes two sections II which in use are in a horizontal plane each of which at each longitudinal edge has a flange I2 and at each end a flange I3. The two table sections are located side by side with two of the side flanges l2 in contact with each other, which adjacent flanges are hingedly connected together as shown at I4 in Fig. 3.

The table top may be folded, as shown in Fig. 5, to form an enclosed case which may be carried by handles l5 connected to the outer longitudinal side flanges l2, and which outer flanges may also have suitable fasteners of the type used with a suitcase mounted thereon (see Fig. 5)

The top in its unfolded condition (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) rests upon the upper ends of the legs 9 which at their outer vertical edges may come immediately within. t e do nw d y extending end flanges [3 to maintain the top against substantial endwise displacement. Also the top (Fig. 3) is incapable of substantial lateral displacement when placed upon the vertical legs 9, with the upper ends of said legs bearing against the undersides of the horizontal sections H of the top, and located within the depending side and end flanges l2 and I3.

In the knocked-down or disassembled condition, the legs I and 9, the bars 4 and the seat boards 1 are placed within the case provided by the top of the table so that all of the parts necessary for the table are included in the structure shown in Fig. 5. Whenever the table is to be set up the case shown in Fig. 5 is opened and the parts assembled as described. 1 The longitudinal edges of the top (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) are located inwardly of the inner edges of the seat board 1. Those using the table may sit upon the boards I at opposite sides of the top as is evident.'

' The structure is very practical and useful and readily manufactured at low cost, Its assembly and disassembly is performed without the use of tools. The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a structure of the class described, four corner supporting legs, each adapted to be vertically positioned and each being vertically slot-' ted at its upper end portion, each leg at one side of the slot extending a short distance above the other side thereof, horizontal bars, two in number, vertically grooved in a side thereof near each end adapted to connect with the upper ends of said supporting legs by interlocking therewith at saidgrooved end portions, each bar connecting with two of said legs, horizontal seat boards each having an opening therein near each end thereof adapted to extend between and across the end portions of said horizontal bars, said openings receiving the projecting upper end portions of 4 locating over and resting upon the upper ends 0! said additional vertical legs.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1, said horizontal bars each having two additional spaced apart vertical grooves in a side theerof and each of said additional legs being vertically slotted at its lower end portion for detachable connection with said horizontal bars at said additional vertical grooves therein.

3. A structure as defined in claim 1, said top comprising two rectangular horizontal sections, each at each side edge and at each end having a downwardly extending flange secured thereto, said top sections being located side by side with two of the side flanges thereof alongside each other, and means hingedly connecting said side by side sideflanges of the top sections for folding into adjacent each end thereof for detachable con-' said supporting legs to interlock therewith, additional vertical supporting legs, four in number, having means for detachable connection with said horizontal bars, two on each bar at spaced positions thereon, and a horizontal table top for nection with the upper ends of two of said sup-I porting legs, a horizontal table top, and detachable vertical supports, four in number having slotted means for detachable connection thereof at their lower ends to said horizontal bars at spaced apart portions in the length thereof, upon and against the upper ends of which said horizontal top is adapted to be positioned.

ERNEST ALVAH BOWER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 769,354 Nielsen Sept. 6, 1904 1,381,682 Webster et a1 June 14, 1921 1,716,612 Wing June 11, 1929 

